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3 Scriptural Studies "Education can change a student's life for the better — knowledge is a king's heritage — accessible to the common man, it benefit us for life." (Phramankolthepmuni) At that time the education of monks and novices began with memorizing the Suttas in their original Pali language. When these had been committed to memory, the monks would have to memorize the grammar of the Scriptures: i.e. the Pali root forms (mūlakaccāyana) from euphonic combination (sandhi) onwards. Candasaro pursued his Scriptural studies in the same way, continuing his studies with nouns (nāma), secondary derivation (taddhita), indeclinables (ākhavāṭa) and primary derivation (kita). Only then would the monks be allowed to begin the study of the Scriptures. Candasaro memorized the foundation materials and started studying his first scripture — the Dhammapada. When he had mastered the second part of the Dhammapada, he studied the first part. In those days, the Scriptures were not in book form, but etched on palm leaves using Khom script. Students didn't study the Scriptures in order from 'page one' onwards but picked chapters at random, because palm-leaf scriptures are loose-leafed. Some students studying the Dhammapada started with earlier chapters, some with the later ones. As a result, the more students attending a 33